THE KNIGGE: GERMAN MANNERS and ETIQUETTE

Long time ago when I moved to Munich, my German was basic and so I got my first nasty glare while addressing a German stranger per "du" instead of per "Sie". Then I promised myself that one day I was going to read the "Knigge" in order to surprise every German I encountered by using the very right form of salutation in every situation!Yesterday was the day, two years later after the promise: I started reading the Knigge. And although it might not seem like it, it is a good plan for a Sunday (above all if you are sunbathing by the swimming pool at the same time!). The reading is entertaining, hilarious and educational, what else could you ask?.

The Knigge in Amazon

Knigge is actually the surname of a XVIII century German writer that joined the Illuminati and wrote a treatise on human relations; which is still today regarded as the guide for politeness and etiquette in Germany. According to the Knigge, the general rule is that you should address everyone by "Sie". The "du" form should only be the exception.
If you want to know more you can visit the German Knigge Association website or the site Knigge.de. Some of the articles surprised me and some made me laugh, but eventually I started wondering if instead of being a well-mannered person, I was closer to have the politeness of a cave woman.
For example, there is a section that fascinates me: table manners andcertain meals that are classified as "schwierige Speisen" because there are difficult to eat.

How to eat artichokes? you should firstly use your fingers, then your front teeth and finally the fork.

The knife can be used to butter the bread rolls but never to cut them. And never use it to help you eat a salad (in difficult cases, use a piece of bread).

Do not incline the plate when eating soup. If it is too hot: be patient, do not blow it. Only if it was served in a cup, you are allowed to drink the rest from it (assuming that you have already eaten all the solid ingredients with the spoon).

Strawberries that cannot be eaten in one bite should not be served. But should the situation arise, then use the fork or the spoon to cut them in one-bite pieces...

Screen shot of www.knigge.de

Screen shot of www.deutsche-knigge-gesellschaft.de

LET'S GO BOWLING IN MUNICH

If you google "bowling in Munich", you will get a list of five or six places in the city. We picked Isar Bowling @Martin-Luther Straße, 22, simply because it was convenient for us.

Many people regard bowling as boring but in my opinion: it is a great team-building activity. It is not difficult to play, it is not expensive and it boosts everyone's self confidence. No matter how bad someone is at sports, at bowling one gets a strike sooner or later, and if it is later, the whole group tends to help and encourage the "slow player" until he/she strikes.

I was surprised to find a lot of teenagers playing but not so many families with children. I would have expected bowling to be more like a Sunday thing to do with the children, rather than a place for teens to go on a date...

If you are interested in the prices, we were a group of seven, we played 3 games, for 2.5 hours and we paid €10 per person.

BEACH BAR IN MUNICH

Munich has no beach, but we have the Strandbar (beach bar) that this year (2013) is located @the Corneliusbrücke. It is branded under the Hacker-Pschorr brewery name, which basically means that a bier will cost you less than a coffee. It is open on Sundays and they refund bottle deposits until 11pm.

Beach bar in Munich

Screen shot of the Kulturstrand

I have been there a number of times, but only once after lunch. We thought that after 3 weeks in a row of heavy rain, we could use some sun. Wrong. Five minutes after taking off our shoes and choosing a beach chair, we wish we hadn't. On that day Munich temperatures reached 35 degrees, so we sat there roasting like chickens with a view to the Isar as a incessant reminder that we were actually NOT IN THE BEACH, so we could not go for a swim to beat the heat.

Since that day I have been to the beach bar only in the evenings, when the sun is set and there are not empty beach chairs because the place is bursting. You then need to stand up but you can still take off your shoes, feel the sand and take a breath of fresh air of the city with a great view of the river at night.

PARAGLIDING OR SAILING IN THE TEGERNSEE

If you live in Munich you do know the beautiful lake of Tegernsee and the city with the same name that is located an hour away from Munich.

Tourism is the area's largest income not only in summer but in winter as well and therefore the tourism office is very well organized when it comes to inform and attract potential visitors.

Two of my dear friends in Munich learnt about paragliding and sailing in Tegernsee while researching about plans for the summertime on the weekends.

The paragliding academy is called "Gleitschirmschule Tegernsee". My friend did what is called: a "Tandemflug" (=tandem flight), in which an experienced pilot drives the paraglider, while you are the passenger and your only obligation is to enjoy the view (and to faster your seatbelt of course!). She booked the flight four weeks in advance, it was a flight of an hour and half and she paid €120.

The other friend of mine went for a much more conservative sport: sailing, which is also a great idea to spend the Sundays in summertime. The "Sailing Center" in Tegernsee has a sailing school that offer all types of courses: for children, for teenagers, in groups, private lessons, compact courses in one weekend or scheduled across the summer in different days.

The prices go from €290 per person for a Katamaran basic course; €315 per person for a Sailing basic course or if you like: something more exclusive like €75 per person per hour of private lesson.

There are much more that you can do in Tegernsee:

sunbathe and swim in the Sandy beach,

hire a volleyball court,

rent a small boat,

learn windsurfing or

go on a hiking (or bike) tour around the lake/area, etc.

I am not posting info on where I was sunbathing last weekend, because I am working on an blog entry about swimming pools in Munich and I hope it will be ready very soon, so you can get tips for this summer if you are staying in the city.Until then I wish you all a great week! And as always, drop my a lineif you have already done some of the above plans on a Sunday or the ones in "the best plan for a Sunday in Munich part. 1/2" or if you have other suggestions!